


Genuine Distinctions

by nagi_schwarz



Series: Number The Stars [30]
Category: Numb3rs, Stargate Atlantis, Thoughtcrimes (2003)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-30
Updated: 2016-07-30
Packaged: 2018-07-27 14:39:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7622518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nagi_schwarz/pseuds/nagi_schwarz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for the comment_fic prompt: "Thoughtcrimes/Stargate Atlantis/Numb3rs, Freya McAllister/Charlie Eppes, getting to know you again."</p><p>Charlie and Freya get to know each other all over again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Genuine Distinctions

Freya knew Charlie was studying her, trying to figure her out, after the whole revelation not only of her real identity but her gift. She’d seen that moment on his face after she told him, when he hastily tried to review every interaction they’d ever had and spot when she’d used her gift on him (she hadn’t, and not just because she’d been ordered not to).  
  
She’d known from the look in his eyes, the way he’d stepped closer, that as soon as they were alone he was going to go for a kiss, but then she’d told him the truth, and he’d stopped. He’d been friendly enough when she helped him move into his quarters in the science corridor, and he caught her up on gossip about Don and his father and Larry, but she’d seen the wariness, the hesitation, the abandoned motions when he’d reach for her and catch himself.  
  
And he kept trying to call her Freya, but she reminded him that everyone else knew her as Amita, like everyone knew Brendan as John or Sheppard or Shep, but she could see the way _Amita_ felt wrong as it tripped off his tongue now.  
  
And she saw the way he looked askance at Brendan, who always hovered close to her, whatever his personal space issues, who smiled at her and thought comments and jokes her way. She saw the flash of jealousy and hurt whenever Freya responded to something Brendan hadn’t said aloud, or the way she’d pause and check on him sometimes, the way she’d know, half a second before Lorne and control did, that Brendan had _done something_ again.  
  
One night, over a game of chess - Zelenka and Rodney were at the table beside theirs, cussing at each other in two different languages, and at the table beside that Lorne was trying to teach Teyla and Ronon to play - Charlie asked her.  
  
“Are you in love with Brendan?”  
  
Freya shouldn’t have been surprised at the question - she’d heard speculation on Atlantis about them - but she still almost choked on her tea. “What? No!”  
  
Charlie peered at her from beneath his lashes. “I’ve seen you with him. The way you look at him, and the way he laughs at you. The way you laugh at things only the other person knows.”  
  
Freya took a deep breath. “Charlie, Brendan was one of my first friends after I left the mental hospital. We were thrown together in the field and we saved each other’s lives, and - we’re best friends. He showed me how to use the Internet and an iPod and TiVo, and we had sudoku races, and I was the only girl and he taught me how to fight and shoot. And I - it’s hard to explain. But I’m not in love with him, and he’s not in love with me. But we do love each other.”  
  
Charlie, Freya knew, was used to getting what he wanted, but was also used to being mystified by people. “I’m not sure that’s a genuine distinction.”  
  
“When you and I were together at Cal Tech,” Freya said, “you and I were _together_. Brendan was off who knows where getting backstopped for his John Sheppard legend. We’d been friends and partners for a couple of years by then, and he was my best friend, but I loved you.”  
  
“Loved me?” Charlie asked.  
  
“Still do, actually,” Freya said.  
  
Charlie gnawed on his bottom lip. “Are you really Tamil?”  
  
“No,” Freya said. “I mean, I learned the language, because the NSA had me learn a boat load of languages so I’d be more useful in interrogations of suspects who didn’t speak English, but the family you met - my parents and sister? My ‘father’ was a retired NSA agent, his ‘wife’ was my handler, and my ‘sister’ was also an NSA agent.”  
  
“Then the reason we never -” Charlie ducked his head and blushed.  
  
“Wasn’t cultural, no,” Freya said. “But I couldn’t. Because of my telepathy.”  
  
Charlie’s head came up sharply. “What? Why?”  
  
“That kind of - trust, of letting go. I’d never done it before. I didn’t know if I did that, if everyone else’s voices would come crashing down on me. I couldn’t risk -”  
  
“Going back to a mental hospital.”  
  
After all, Freya had been dancing with her date at prom when her gift first kicked in. She nodded.  
  
Charlie sucked in a breath. “Wow. I mean, I knew telepathy could be a burden, but -”  
  
“I’m better with my gift now,” Freya said.  
  
Charlie’s eyes went wide. “You mean -?”  
  
Freya leaned across the table and kissed him.


End file.
